Bee venom (BV) is a complex mixture of antigens that can include one or more toxic polypeptides. Many of these polypeptides are hypersentizing agents and can additionally have hemolytic or neurotoxic effects.
Some individuals are hypersensitive to BV polypeptides. IgE antibodies from BV hypersensitive individuals recognize several BV toxic polypeptides. BV polypeptides, often referred to as allergens, recognized by IgE in BV hypersentive individuals can include, e.g., phospholipase A2 (PLA2), acid phosphatase, hyaluronidase, allergen C, and other, high molecular weight (MW) proteins.
BV hypersensitive individuals can be at high risk of an adverse reaction to a bee sting. One recognized method for preventing or minimizing serious adverse reactions resulting from a bee sting is to desensitize the individual to the allergens present in BV. This protection can be induced by a process termed venom immunotherapy (VIT).